From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Letter to E.W. Hives detailing progress on 'F' engine piston seizure issues and car work.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 11\3\ 03-page287 | |
| Date | 14th November 1930 | |
| E.W.Hives, Esq., c/o.{Mr Oldham} Rolls-Royce (America) Inc., Springfield, Mass., U.S.A. To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/MJ.14.11.30. I am glad you had a good trip across the Atlantic. Since your departure we have made the following progress :- "F" ENGINE. On our way back from W.W. we called at Farnborough. There we found a piston in the initial stages of seizure. The seizure took place round the liner just above the rubber ring. When we examined the other engines we found that they all shewed hard marks at this point. Upon examining the drawings we found that the "F" engine has comparatively .005 less piston clearance than the H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} It will be recollected that the F.{Mr Friese} engine piston clearance was reduced in the early days because we got into trouble with over-oiling. We think that the reason why the piston starts to pick up just above the rubber ring is that the foot of the liner distorts when the long bolts are pulled down and makes a neck just above the stiffer part where the rubber ring rests. We are running a number of tests to prove out our theory, and of course trying the simple procedure of increasing the piston clearance. We have had no more cylinder block failures or piston seizures in service since you left. CAR WORK. We are concentrating on engine roughness and car | ||